Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 13
13
The Government must answer a range of outstanding questions in relation to the Joint Biosecurity...
Recommendation
The Government must answer a range of outstanding questions in relation to the Joint Biosecurity Centre, including: the Government’s assessment of the benefits of establishing such a Centre for all four nations, how the devolved administrations will contribute and who in the Scottish Government will be given the opportunity to do so. (Paragraph 94) Coronavirus and Scotland: Interim Report on Intergovernmental Working 35
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
It is because viruses have no regard for jurisdictional boundaries that the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) was established to operate across the UK - we all need to work together at this time to protect the health and jobs of people across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The JBC aims to provide evidence-based objective analysis, assessment, and advice to inform local and national decision- making in response to COVID-19 outbreaks. The JBC uses the diverse expertise and tradecraft of its staff to analyse both health and non-health data, and to offer a unique perspective on the developing situation with regard to COVID-19. Since the Committee’s interim report, the UK and Scottish Governments agreed to promote the necessary secondary legislation in both the UK and Scottish Parliaments so that the JBC can carry out functions in Scotland. The legislation has been made under the Scotland Act 1998, and was coordinated by the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland. The actual agency agreement, which gives legal effect to the political agreement